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Kyle Korver replaces Dwyane Wade (injured) on 2015 NBA All-Star team

Kyle Korver replaces Dwyane Wade (injured) on 2015 NBA All-Star team

Kyle Korver replaces Dwyane Wade (injured) on 2015 East NBA All-Star team

Atlanta Hawks guard Kyle Korver has been named by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to replace injured Eastern Conference All-Star reserve Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat in the 2015 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 15, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The addition of Korver, the NBA leader in multiple shooting categories, gives the Hawks a record-tying four All-Stars in a season.

Korver is on pace to post the best single-season shooting performance in NBA history at 51.6% from the field, 52.8% from 3-point territory and 92.0% from the free throw line – aiming to become the first qualifying player ever to shoot at least 50 percent from the field, 50 percent from behind the arc and 90 percent on free throws. The 12-year veteran is averaging 12.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists for the 43-10 Hawks.

At 33 years and 11 months, Korver is the fourth-oldest first-time All-Star in NBA history, behind the New York Knicks’ Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton (34 years, 3 months in 1957), Minnesota Timberwolves’ Sam Cassell (34 years, 2 months in 2004) and Anthony Mason of the Miami Heat (34 years, 2 months in 2001).

Hawks trade Adreian Payne to Timberwolves

Hawks trade Adreian Payne to Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has acquired forward/center Adreian Payne from Atlanta for a protected future first round draft pick.

“We are extremely excited to welcome Adreian to Minnesota,” said Timberwolves head coach Flip Saunders. “Adreian fits the mold of a young, athletic and talented player who we believe will fit in well with our young and talented core. We’ve liked him for a while and look forward to seeing him grow with us in a Wolves uniform.”

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, “the move opens up a roster spot for the Hawks, who were at the maximum of 15. The Hawks have spoken to representatives of free agent Ray Allen, who is expected to make a decision soon on whether and where he will play this season.”

Payne, 23, was selected by Atlanta with the 15th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. He’s appeared in three games with the Hawks this season, averaging 1.7 points and 1.3 rebounds in 6.3 minutes per game. Payne has appeared in 17 games between the Fort Worth Mad Ants and Austin Spurs in the NBA D-League, averaging 12.9 points, on 48.3% shooting, 8.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 27.2 minutes per game.

Drafted out of Michigan State, Payne averaged 16.4 points on 50.3% shooting (42.3% from three-point range) and 7.3 rebounds per game as senior in 2013-14 with the Spartans. His play earned him Second-Team All-Big Ten and Honorable Mention Associated Press All-American. Payne finished his collegiate career as one of just nine players in MSU history with 1,200+ points and 700+ rebounds, as well as wrapping up his career as the school’s all-time leader in blocked shots.

Meet Franklin, the new Philadelphia 76ers mascot

Meet Franklin, the new Philadelphia 76ers mascot

The Philadelphia 76ers today introduced their new team mascot, Franklin, at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, where more than 300 area children welcomed “Sixers fan’s best friend.” Franklin, a blue dog with perky ears and wagging tail, wears a Sixers uniform with his signature paw in place of a jersey number.

“Franklin’s debut has been long-awaited by Sixers fans, and we could not be more pleased with his reception from the children in attendance at today’s unveiling,” said Sixers Chief Marketing & Innovation Officer Tim McDermott. “Bringing to life our franchise’s new mascot has been a collaborative, kid-focused process from the start that involved more than 1,000 children, Sixers Season Ticket Members and 40-plus designs. We’re looking forward to showing him off to the city over the next 10 days as we lead up to his in-game debut on Friday, February 20.”

Franklin’s official backstory from the Sixers

When the Philadelphia 76ers decided they needed a new mascot, they knew it had to be ‘FOR KIDS, BY KIDS.’ And so they created a kids-only Chief Design Team to lead the way and find their new mascot.

The Chief Designers worked night and day to find a mascot that was Philadelphia through and through, who loved the game of basketball, and who could be their biggest friend and fan at every Sixers game.

As they dug through piles of books, watched movies and spoke with Philadelphians far and wide, along with more than 1,000 kids, they found a common thread…a special creature…whose ancestors had been a part of the city’s history from the start.

When George Washington crossed the Delaware, a blue tail was wagging in the boat.

When our nation’s forefathers signed the Declaration of Independence, a blue paw was found on the scroll.

A blue mouth dragged Ben Franklin to safety after he was struck by lightning and discovered electricity.

A furry blue flash ran alongside Rocky Balboa, and put two paws in the air when he reached the top of the Art Museum steps.

But what made this creature even more interesting to the Chief Designers was that his ancestors loved basketball just as much as the city.

There were tiny teeth marks in the paper Wilt Chamberlain held for the cameras after his historic 100-point game.

Blue paws were seen pacing behind the Sixers bench in the days of Dr. J.

Perky blue ears were in the stands when Allen Iverson made Sixers fans roar.

The designers were convinced that this creature, if they could find it today, might be the mascot they’d been looking for all this time.

They took a break from their research to play some basketball at the arena…and found tiny blue scratch marks on the court….then bits of blue fur…and then, peeking around the corner of the Sixers’ locker room, the Chief Designers saw eyes looking up at them from a blue furry creature.

They’d found it! The descendant of these great blue creatures had come to live at the Center!

The Chief Designers showed the creature to the team, and everyone loved it. The Sixers decided to adopt it as their new mascot, and gave it a special jersey to wear with its new name: FRANKLIN.

And today, it’s time to introduce all of you to your new Sixers mascot, whose family has been a part of Philadelphia and Sixers history for generations, who loves the game of basketball and is so excited to meet its new best friends, little Sixers fans!

Timberwolves trade Mo Williams and Troy Daniels to Hornets for Gary Neal

Timberwolves trade Mo Williams and Troy Daniels to Hornets for Gary Neal

Charlotte Hornets General Manager Rich Cho announced today that the team has acquired guards Mo Williams and Troy Daniels, along with cash considerations, from the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for guard Gary Neal and Miami’s 2019 second-round draft pick. In addition, the Hornets have released Elliot Williams from his 10-day contract. The Hornets roster remains at 15 players.

“We are excited to be adding two quality players to our organization,” Cho said. “Mo Williams is a proven NBA player who gives us additional versatility and depth in the backcourt, both while Kemba Walker is out and after Kemba returns. Troy Daniels is an outstanding shooter who we are already familiar with from having had him in our training camp last season.”

The 47th overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, Williams is in his 12th NBA season. He has played in 750 career games for the Utah Jazz, Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers and Minnesota Timberwolves. An Eastern Conference All-Star in 2008-09, Williams has career averages of 13.3 points, 5.0 assists and 2.8 rebounds in 29.7 minutes, while shooting .436 from the field (3758-8611), .382 from beyond the three-point line (998-2611) and .869 from the free-throw line (1442-1660). He ranks sixth among active players in career free-throw percentage and 24th in NBA history.

Williams played in 41 games for Minnesota this season, starting 19, with averages of 12.2 points, 6.4 assists and 2.4 rebounds in 28.0 minutes. He shot .403 from the field (180-447), .347 from beyond the three-point line (59-170) and .851 from the free-throw line (80-94). Williams scored in double figures in 23 of the 41 games, including eight games of 20 points or more, and handed out double-figure assists nine times, tallying eight double-doubles. He was named Western Conference Player of the Week for Jan. 12-18 after scoring a career-high 52 points on Jan. 13 at Indiana.

Daniels is in his second NBA season, having played in 41 career games for Houston and Minnesota after not being selected in the 2013 NBA Draft. Daniels, who was in training camp with Charlotte prior to the 2013-14 NBA season, has a career average of 3.4 points on .358 shooting from the field (49-137), including .355 from beyond the three-point line (38-107). He began this season in Houston before being traded to Minnesota on Dec. 19 as part of a three-team deal.

Daniels also saw action in 48 games last season for Houston’s NBA D-League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, where he was selected for the D-League All-Star Game and earned Third Team All-D-League honors. He averaged 21.5 points, 4.9 assists and 4.6 rebounds in 35.4 minutes, while shooting .422 from the field (232-766), .402 from beyond the three-point line (240-599) and .816 from the free-throw line (146-179). Daniels led the D-League in three-point field goals and three-point field goal attempts and ranked third in total points scored.

Currently in his fifth NBA season, Neal was acquired last February in a trade with Milwaukee. He played in 65 games for Charlotte, averaging 10.2 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 22.1 minutes. Neal saw action in 43 games for the Hornets this season, with averages of 9.6 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 21.7 minutes.

Patrick Beverley replaces John Wall in 2015 Skills Challenge

Patrick Beverley replaces John Wall in 2015 Skills Challenge

Houston Rockets guard Patrick Beverley will replace Washington Wizards guard John Wall in the 2015 Skills Challenge during All-Star Saturday Night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Feb. 14.

As far as we know, Wall hasn’t suffered a new injury. He likely just feels he can use the extra rest and has chosen to not participate. We’ll update this info if it changes, but it probably won’t.

Beverley, in his third NBA season with the Rockets, is averaging 10.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 39 games. A second-round pick of the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009, Beverley signed with Houston in January 2013 after four-plus seasons playing overseas. He was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2013-14.

The Chicago Bulls’ Jimmy Butler, the Toronto Raptors’ Kyle Lowry and the Atlanta Hawks’ Jeff Teague, all selected to play in the 2015 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 15, at Madison Square Garden, headline the Skills Challenge field. Defending champion Trey Burke of the Utah Jazz, the Philadelphia 76ers’ Michael Carter-Williams, the Milwaukee Bucks’ Brandon Knight and the Phoenix Suns’ Isaiah Thomas will also compete in the three-round, obstacle-course competition that tests dribbling, passing, agility and shooting skills.

Jusuf Nurkic replaces injured Steven Adams in 2015 Rising Stars Challenge

Jusuf Nurkic replaces injured Steven Adams in 2015 Rising Stars Challenge

Denver Nuggets rookie center Jusuf Nurkic will replace injured World Team selection Steven Adams of the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2015 NBA Rising Stars Challenge event that will take place Friday, February 13, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.

The NBA’s annual showcase of premier first- and second-year players at NBA All-Star 2015 features a new format that pits first- and second-year NBA players from the United States against first- and second-year NBA players from around the world.

Nurkic, the 16th overall pick of the 2014 draft, who was acquired by the Nuggets in a draft-day trade with Chicago, has appeared in 39 games this season, averaging 6.8 points, 6.2 rebounds (second among rookies) and 1.26 blocks (third) in 16.7 minutes. The 20-year-old Bosnia-Herzegovina native spent the 2013-14 season playing in Croatia.

Adams underwent successful surgery on Monday to address a fracture in the fourth metacarpal of his right hand. In 50 games this season, he has averaged 7.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.22 blocks in 24.3 minutes.

Ricky Rubio still regaining full health

Here’s the Minneapolis Star Tribune reporting on the Timberwolves, who are happy to have flashy point guard Ricky Rubio back, even if his ability to contribute is still limited as he regains full health:

Not surprisingly, Ricky Rubio was held out of Sunday’s game against the Pistons. Wolves coach Flip Saunders said that Rubio, who has played in three games since returning from a severe left ankle sprain, has not been cleared to play in back-to-back games until at least after the All-Star break. Rubio will play Monday against Atlanta at Target Center.

Saunders said the rough-and-tumble game Rubio had in Friday’s victory over Memphis made the decision to sit Rubio an easy one.

“He got his knee hit a little bit, and his ankle re-twisted a little bit,” Saunders said. “We thought it best to give him a couple days off.”

Both Rubio and Shabazz Muhammad are expected to play Monday. Muhammad, who is coming back from an oblique muscle strain, missed his 16th game Sunday.

Bulls set to enjoy comforts of home

The Chicago Bulls are about to enjoy a lot of home games. A nice opportunity to feel extra comfortable and rack up a stack of wins. Maybe. Here’s ESPN Chicago reporting:

As the Bulls return home for nine of the next 10 at the United Center, beginning with the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, swingman Jimmy Butler believes his team is playing with a little more urgency these days.

“Definitely,” he said. “Before you know it, the All-Star break is going to be over and then 30-something games left. Then it’s playoff time so there’s no time for mistakes and letups. We need to correct everything now.”

After six straight games on the road, it’s hard to see any kind of major progress. The Bulls dominated the Pelicans on Saturday night only after Anthony Davis injured his shoulder. They won Sunday night’s game only because the Magic disintegrated down the stretch. The only consistency over the past month for the Bulls is that they’ve been inconsistent. But in this year, after two wins on the road, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau will take them any way he can get them.

Bucks doing big things on defense

Here’s the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporting on the Bucks, who continue to enjoy a better-than-expected season:

Defense is not optional for the Milwaukee Bucks.

They know the scrambling, hustling, switching defense they play will keep them competitive.

Better yet, it will lead to fast-break chances and easy baskets, even a few of those crowd-pleasing dunks.

Since the start of the calendar year, the Bucks have made big strides in stopping opponents and the numbers show it.

They rank second in the league since Jan. 1 in opponents field goal percentage (41.2%) and third in opponents points (92.9). They are first in opponents three-point percentage (30.2%).

The Bucks were 21st in average points allowed in late December but have risen to fifth, lowering their mark from 101.2 to 97.1 points allowed. They are second in the league in defensive efficiency — points allowed per 100 possessions — at 99.1, behind only the Golden State Warriors at 97.8. Milwaukee is third in opponents field goal percentage (43.4%), tied with Portland.

Raptors racking up nice wins lately

The Toronto Raptors are doing big things lately. And making regular appearances in the win column. Here’s the Canadian Press reporting:

James Johnson poured in a season-high 20 points to lift the Raptors to an 87-82 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday, Toronto’s eighth victory in 10 outings.

DeMar DeRozan added 18 points, while Amir Johnson had 15 and Kyle Lowry had 12. Jonas Valanciunas grabbed a season-high 16 rebounds in one of Toronto’s best defensive efforts of the season.

The Atlantic Division-leading Raptors (35-17) were coming off a huge 123-107 win over the Clippers on Friday that saw them claw their way back from an early 20-point deficit.

They never led by more than 10 in Sunday’s dogfight, and went into the fourth quarter up 64-58 in front of an Air Canada Centre capacity crowd of 19,800 that included Toronto FC’s newest acquisition Sebastian Giovinco.